FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kansas  –   Team members from Munson Army Health Center headed to “the field” to conduct a readiness rodeo for incoming students of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, on Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, July 17.

With an incoming CGSC class of 970 students, a team from Munson packed-up and took their medical readiness processing mission to the campus where they set up in classrooms vacant during summer break. The readiness rodeo is modeled much like a Soldier Medical Readiness Processing event.

“Once classes begin in August, students will be focused on their studies, so the readiness rodeo allows us to verify the medical readiness status for each Soldier before they get started with class. There is a short window of opportunity before class begins for Soldiers to complete any requirements that may be missing or close to expiring,” said Col. Shane Mendenhall, Munson director. “We call this period the summer surge. As soon as one class graduates in June, a new class begins reporting and we want to make sure they are all medically ready.”

The Army tracks Soldier medical readiness (MRC) on a scale of 1 to 4, to help determine the available Force. MRC 1 means a Soldier meets all the medical requirements to deploy. MRC 2-4 basically means there may be factors that prevent them from meeting medical readiness. The goal is for Soldiers to maintain the highest level of medical readiness, which will effectively support globally integrated operations and mission planning around the world.

“These are our future leaders, executive officers, and battalion commanders. They must be medically ready,” said Mendenhall.
The CGSC Surgeon Cell works closely with Munson to track and, if necessary, address any MRC requirements that could hinder a Soldier’s ability to deploy.

The rodeo provides a comprehensive review of physical health assessments, HIV testing, immunization, vision, hearing and dental screenings. Appointments are scheduled for any requirement that can’t be completed at the rodeo.

“This is a perfect location because it allows us to spread out and take care of a lot of Soldiers at one time and minimizes overcrowding of clinical operations in the health center,” said Maj. Meredith Steggerda, chief of Munson’s department of public health.

Groups of CGSC students check-in at the rodeo and complete any required paperwork before proceeding through medical records, pharmacy, lab, hearing, behavioral health, dental and vision stations.
Steggerda said that most Soldiers complete some medical screening prior to PCS. About half may have something that they still require for their health record. Munson’s proactive approach ensures a standardized and optimized approach to completing all requirements before classes start.

“You may have Soldiers arriving from a resource limited environment or some who had a very short lead time on orders. When medically appropriate, we also provide Soldiers the opportunity to complete requirements that may expire during the school year, so they won’t need to miss classroom instruction time.” Steggerda said.

This includes completing bloodwork at the rodeo, which saves the students an additional visit to the health center.

“The event showcases the synergy between the CGSC Surgeon Cell and Munson to facilitate medical readiness,” said Maj. Grant Adams, CGSC Surgeon. “Improved access to medical services in the CGSC footprint reduces missed class time for the students, reduces course attrition, and can have a positive impact on the appointment burden at Munson. Our team is fortunate to be positioned in such close proximity to the students to meet them in their own environment.”

Additional stations include TRICARE enrollment verification, Exceptional Family Member Program, and Fort Leavenworth Army Community Service.

The 10-month Command and General Staff Officers Course develops war-fighting and adaptive leadership skills for military officers to be proficient in Unified Land Operations. The College is an educational center of excellence renowned in the study of leadership, the conduct of joint and combined land warfare, and the application of Joint, Interagency, Intergovernmental, and Multinational organizations to synchronize all elements of power to achieve national objectives.